Massey expands into three cities (1993-2009)

Massey University expanded in the 1990s with new campuses in Auckland and Wellington. The university also offered more diverse academic programmes that increased its international focus and its services to the community.

Auckland campus

On 20 March 1993, Massey University's Auckland campus in Albany was officially inaugurated with a tree-planting ceremony.

The University introduced a two-semester year (with a possible third semester in the summer) at the Auckland campus in 1994. The two-semester year was introduced at the Manawatū campus the following year.

In the late 1990s, Massey University launched its Graduate School of Business and, in partnership with Auckland College of Education, a Graduate School of Education.

Ongoing changes at the Manawatū campus

Massey University formally merged with the Palmerston North College of Education on 1 June 1996. The Palmerston North College of Education was established as the Palmerston North Teachers' College in 1956. Throughout it its existence the College had a close association with Massey University. A merger with Massey University had been discussed since the 1980s and finally happened in 1996.

Restructuring in the late 1990s saw the University's nine faculties amalgamated into four colleges: Education, Business, Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Institute of Rugby began in 1999 to develop students' skills, careers and educational opportunities in rugby.

Wellington Polytechnic merges with Massey University

Massey University extended its reach to Wellington when it merged with the Wellington Polytechnic on 1 July 1999 to establish the College of Design, Fine Arts and Music (now the College of Creative Arts).

Wellington Polytechnic had a long and rich history with its roots in the Wellington School of Design, later known as the Wellington Technical College, which was established in 1886. The merger with Massey University made the polytechnic's academic programmes, after some adjustment, the first of their kind in New Zealand to attain university status.

In 2004, the New Zealand School of Music was formed when Massey's Conservatorium of Music combined with Victoria University of Wellington's School of Music.

Massey appoints New Zealand's first female vice-chancellor

In March 2003, Massey University appointed New Zealand's first female Vice-Chancellor, Professor Judith Kinnear.

Massey reaches enrolment milestones

Massey University reached a milestone in 2003 when its enrolled student numbers breached the 41,000 mark. In 2009 another milestone was reached when the university celebrated having 1,000 concurrently enrolled PhD students.